Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has accused Apple of anti-competitive practices in the way it manages App Store rankings, claiming the iPhone maker is unfairly favoring OpenAIās ChatGPT over rival AI apps. Musk said his xAI startup would take āimmediate legal actionā against Apple for alleged antitrust violations.
Musk Accuses Apple of Blocking Fair Competition
In a post on his social media platform X, Musk alleged that Appleās App Store policies make it āimpossibleā for any AI company besides OpenAI to claim the #1 position in the rankings.
āApple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation. xAI will take immediate legal action,ā Musk wrote.
He did not provide evidence to back up the claim, and Apple, OpenAI, and xAI have yet to respond to Reutersā requests for comment.
ChatGPT Leads, Grok Lags Behind
As of Monday, ChatGPT holds the top spot in the App Storeās āTop Free Appsā list for iPhones in the US. Muskās own AI chatbot, Grok, is ranked fifth, while Googleās Gemini sits much lower at 57th, according to data from Sensor Tower.
The dominance extends beyond Appleās ecosystem ā ChatGPT also leads the Google Play Store rankings globally.
Appleās partnership with OpenAI has integrated ChatGPT into iPhones, iPads, and Macs, something Musk suggests gives it an unfair promotional edge.
Musk Questions Appleās āMust Haveā Picks
In another post on Monday, Musk directly tagged the Apple App Store account, asking why neither X nor Grok appeared in the platformās āMust Haveā apps section, despite X being āthe #1 news app in the worldā and Grok ranking fifth among all apps.
āAre you playing politics?ā Musk asked.
Regulatory Pressure Mounts on Apple
Muskās accusations come as Apple faces intensifying scrutiny over its App Store practices from both regulators and industry rivals.
Earlier this year, a US judge ruled that Apple violated a court order requiring it to allow greater competition in its App Store. The case, brought by Fortnite creator Epic Games, has been referred to federal prosecutors for a criminal contempt investigation.
In April, the European Union fined Apple ā¬500 million ($587 million) for breaching the Digital Markets Act, saying its restrictions prevented developers from directing users to cheaper deals outside the App Store.
Bottom Line: Elon Muskās legal challenge could become the latest flashpoint in the global debate over Big Techās control of digital marketplaces. If xAI proceeds with its lawsuit, it will test whether Appleās App Store policies stand up to increasing legal and regulatory pressure.
Iām Waqas Ahmad, a storyteller at heart and a news writer by profession here at TezzLive.com. For me, journalism is more than just reporting facts ā itās about finding the human side of every story and delivering it with honesty and clarity.
I enjoy covering a mix of topics, from fast-breaking headlines to in-depth features that highlight voices and perspectives often left unheard. My mission is simple: keep you informed, make you think, and sometimes even inspire you.